F1 driver Franco Colapinto calls Spain World Cup celebrations “shameful” and defends Messi shirt

Franco Colapinto says he “cannot accept” Spain’s World Cup final win over Argentina and has branded the way Spanish fans celebrated the triumph as “shameful”.

The Alpine Formula 1 driver, who is Argentine, was speaking to ESPN when he criticised the behaviour of some Spain supporters after their victory against Argentina in the World Cup final.

Colapinto said: “The way the Spanish celebrated after beating Argentina was shameful,” making clear he was still upset by what followed the decisive match.

He also took aim at the sudden visibility of Spain shirts worn by fans once the team had secured the title.

“Spanish shirts everywhere during the World Cup? Suddenly they all started wearing them when they won, not before. It’s shameful,” Colapinto added.

The 21-year-old contrasted what he sees as a lack of consistent backing for Spain with the culture of vocal and inventive support in his home country.

“They don’t even have songs to chant,” he said, referring to the tradition among Argentina supporters of creating distinctive songs and chants for major tournaments.

Colapinto has been open about how painful the defeat in the final has been for many Argentines, including himself, and his comments reflect the lingering frustration in the country after losing the showpiece to Spain.

Messi shirt controversy

During the interview, Colapinto was also asked about reports that some people had tried to burn a Lionel Messi shirt in the aftermath of the World Cup final.

He said he had heard talk of such attempts, indicating how intense emotions had become around Messi’s legacy and Argentina’s defeat.

Colapinto’s stance was clear: he rejected the idea that Messi’s shirt could be treated in that way, suggesting that for many Argentines the national team captain remains beyond such gestures, regardless of the result.

As he began to address the subject in greater detail, the journalist conducting the ESPN interview chose to steer the conversation away, sensing that the discussion was becoming increasingly sensitive.

The exchange underlined how raw feelings remain in Argentina about losing a World Cup final to Spain, with Messi still at the heart of the national debate and high-profile figures such as Colapinto publicly voicing their discontent over both the result and the reaction to it.